Revenge Of A Liar - Season 2

Episode Three - Chapter 14: Hoe's Over Bro's

Harry’s POV

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL - WHO IS THE SWIFTEST OF THEM ALL? - A

My finger was about to run down the letters when they were stopped dead in their tracks - “HARRY! NO!” Louis yelled. “You don’t know what substance that is! Don’t touch anything!” The letters were in an odd font of writing. Quite copperplate - like you’d see headlining a newspaper. Big. Red. A little smudged. Paint? Nail polish? Lipstick? Blood...? Small details were a haze. ‘Swiftest of them all...are we ermm...against a timer?” I questioned the riddle we had run into in the male bathrooms of LAX in search for Liam and Niall. How did A know we would come here? Oh...that was a stupid question. It’s like asking how A knows absolutely everything! Jeez, Harry - you can’t just ask yourself these things! The little voice in my head mumbled. Zayn kicked open every cubical door, not caring if someone was doing their business in there or not. An really chubby businessman opened the door into the bathroom, took one look at Zayn, decided he didn’t need to use the loo anymore and walked out. Louis inspected every piece of furniture, down to the paper towels, looking for clues. You could tell he watched Inspector Gadget as a kid. I, on the other hand, was staring at the only obvious clue....or even trick...we had been given. ‘Swiftest of them all...does that mean only one of us can get to Liam and Niall in time?’ Zayn spoke loudly, not realizing who could actually be listening. “Now you sound like we’re in a movie Zayn...a very predictable one!” Louis shook his head, fixing his hair. 

I was reading the riddle over and over again in my head, before another detail stole my attention. “Lads...” I said bending down to the bottom of the mirror. There were exactly five lip prints - kisses - planted at the bottom of the mirror. Each in a slight different shade of red or pink. Not caring what public toilet floor the three of us were laying on, and hoping my hand didn’t lay in any unknown liquid (I don’t even want to think what), we noted down the letters underneath each kiss. The first one, a slight baby pink, had the letters ‘C.L’. The second one, a brighter pink, had the letters ‘P.E.’. The third one, a more beige tone, had the letters ‘E.C.’. The forth one, which stood out the most, brightest of reds - almost the same shade as the riddle had been written, had ‘T.S.’ My heart skipped a beat at that one. And the final kiss print, was on a separate altitude than the others, a much darker red, had another set of ‘T.S’. “N-n..no.” Zayn spoke softly. “That lipstick...it’s Taylah’s. Down the bottom...the very last one. I’m dead sure of it lads...it’s Taylah.” He began pacing at this point. “Those are her initials too. Taylah Symes. She’s alive!” He started talking faster and faster. I swallowed hard because he was still in denial. It was so difficult seeing him like this. I got up and walked over to him. He wrapped his arms around me. “She’s alive Harry!”. How could I do this to him. “Zayn...mate. She’s gone.” “No, you don’t understand - I know those lips! That lipstick! They’re hers!” “Zayn! Stop!” “Louis, can you see? She’s alive!” He then turned to Louis, tears of joy erupting from his eyes. Louis just sat there and then looked over at me. I couldn’t let him believe this, because it’s exactly what A wanted. “Zayn! Stop! Taylah is gone! She is dead! You saw her die! You saw her drown! We went to her funeral and we saw her buried! TAYLAH IS GONE!” I yelled with anger, more at A than anything else because of what he or she was doing to my best friend. I didn’t mean to take it out on him. We were both in tears at this point, and I just took him in my arms. I whispered “We need to find Liam and Niall okay?” I felt him nod slightly into my shoulder.

“Cher Lloyd...Perrie Edwards...Eleanor Calder...Taylah Symes...and Taylor Swift!” Louis said, staring at the mirror slowly. “Swiftest of them all. Red. Swift. Taylor Swift!” I broke away from Zayn, realizing what Louis had put together. Grabbing my phone I dialed Taylor’s number, fearing for her safety. I didn’t mean to put her in harms way. The ringing tone repeated on for what seemed like forever. “Come on babe, pick up so that I know you’re safe.” “Hey, you’ve reached Taylor. I’m really happy for you deciding to call me, and I’m gonna let you finish, but this is the best message bank of all time...” followed by that gorgeous giggle of hers and the interruption of the message tone beeping into my ear. I hung up, and tried again and again. 

**Hoe’s over bro’s? Your lady is at gate 13. Gate 86, if you ever want to see Liam and Niall again - A**

There is was. The big ultimatum. I showed Louis the text, as Zayn still stood staring at that very last kiss. “Gate 86 man, is that even a question?” Louis said to me looking up. I swallowed hard, feeling guilty. The pressure transferred from my head to my heart and I stuttered. “G..g-gate 86.” I said with a firm nod, still trying to convince myself. Was this the right thing? Was there a right thing? We both grabbed Zayn, and pulled him all the way down towards the end of the terminal, towards gate 86. The bottom end of the airport was empty, and very aery. Only ever third or so main light was working, and it looked like a very dated part of the airport, clearly due for some renovations. Louis, Zayn and I arrived at gate 86. There was no one there. I stepped over to the window, and a private cargo plane’s nose was staring right at me. Louis walked towards the door, it was open and very inviting. “Let’s go?” He said walking out onto the jet bridge. “Should we just get on an unknown flight Louis? What if it’s a trap?” “Liam and Niall.” The only words that needed to come out of his mouth before Zayn and I ran onto the jet bridge, following Louis, and boarded the private plane, without looking back. The inside of the plane was dark and empty. There were exactly three seats placed right in the middle of the cabin. The rest was cold, dark and empty. It was the scariest a plane could ever look. The three of us took our seats. As I was buckling up, I heard a thud of the cabin door closing. My jaw clenched and I looked over at Zayn and Louis, feeling a little better that I wasn’t alone. There was a small window at either side of us, so I leaned over Zayn as the plane started reversing back away from the gate, I saw a female figure standing at the window of the terminal with her hands up against the glass. She was a tall blonde. None other than Taylor. As the plane backed further and further away, she broke down, on the ground. I panicked. I got up and ran to the cockpit door. It was locked. “Open this door! Who are you! Where are you taking us!” I yelled as I banged on the door. A pre-recorded voice came through the intercom. “Ladies and gentleman, please take your seats and prepare for take off. Please ensure all mobile devices have been turned off and you are buckled into your seat. Have a SAFE flight.” The emphasis on the word ‘safe’ clearly gave the word an alternate meaning.  We all took our phones out to turn off, because there was no going back now. 

**I knew you were going to bring trouble to begin with. You were supposed to protect me, but you chose them instead. All you’ve done is leave me here, lying on the cold hard ground. I can’t be with you anymore, it’s all too much. I’m sorry - Taylor x**

The screen went blank after reading that. It needed to be turned off. I felt the plane turn onto the runway, and I swallowed hard. We were then moving at hundreds of miles per hour, jolting the tears running down my cheeks. I stared out the window, as the buildings and other planes passed us so quickly, before I was eventually looking down over them. The plane turned, giving me an overall view of Los Angeles. The lights were a beautiful sight, but I watched the airport, where she was left behind, grow smaller and smaller before eventually fading into black. “I’m sorry Taylor.” I whispered as my tears hit the wall of the plane, and turned to face the front - not looking back.